Automobile visor map roller attachment



Jan.3o,194o. W M, OWEN ETA; 2,188,612

AUTOMOBILE VISOR MAP ROLLER ATTACHMENT Filed Dec. 23, 1938 y ArfoRNEYs Patented Jan. 30, 1940 PATENT orrice AUTOMOBILE VISOR MAP ROLLER ATTACHIVIENT Wellington M. Gwen, Lakeland, and Ebbie M. Dearman, Tampa, Fla.

Application December 23, 1938, Serial No. 247,511

2 Claims.

This invention relates to road map attachments for motor vehicles and its general object is to provide an attachment which is primarily designed for association with the usual interior adjustably mounted sun visor of a vehicle to be carried thereby, so that the map is arranged for convenient use at all times, yet is normally disposed in an out of the way position.

An important object is to provide a road map attachment that includes a roller preferably of the spring type commonly used for window in suitable means carried by the visor, as and for the purpose previously setforth, with the result it will be obvious that the map can be instantly exposed to view, and the objections incident to the usual folded maps have been entirely overcome, by the use of our attachment or device.

A further object is to provide an attachment of the character referred to, that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and extremely eicient in operation, use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated inthe accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a portion of the motor vehicle body with one form of our attachment applied to the visor.

Figure 2 is a front view of the attachment applied to the visor.

Figure 3 is an end view thereof.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of our attachment in applied position.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the letter A indicates a motor vehicle body and B a sun visor of a well known type, which of course is adjustable to be swung to various positions, including positions parallel to the top of the body and windshield respectively, and it is shown in the latter position in Figure l.

One form of our attachment as illustrated in Figures l to 3 includes a mounting bracket that is preferably made from a single strand of resilient wire bent substantially midway its ends to provide a' centrally vdisposed outwardly directed hook member I made up of parallel engaging portions of the strand having their outer ends N terminating in curved hook formation, and from the inner end of the shank ofthe hook member i5 the strand extendsin oppositely directed laterally arranged base portions 2 normally disposed at right angles to the hook member i, but the portions 2 assume a divergent relation withk respect to' each other when the bracket is applied 10 to the visor, as best shown in Figure 2.

At the outer ends of the portions 2 the strand is bent to provide parallel substantially V-shaped arm portions 3 Yand 4 and at the apex of the portion 3 the strand is looped upon itself toprovide a rounded eye bearing 5, while at the apex of the portion 4,' the strand is looped to provide a square cornered bearing 6 that is aligned with the bearing 5, for a purpose'which will be later described.

The strand from the V-shaped portions is bent at suitable angles thereto to provide relatively short base portions 1 arranged substantially parallel to the portions 2, and from the inner ends of the portions 1, the strand is further bent to provide a pair of parallel arranged hook members 8 disposed substantially in the same plane with the hook member I, but extending outwardly in an opposite direction With respect to the hook member I, as best shown in Figure 2.

' In applying the Wire mounting bracket to the visor B the hook member I- is arranged about the center of the outer longitudinal edge of the visor, while the hook members -8 are forced about the inner longitudinal edge and when applied, the shanks of the hook members, as well as the portions 2 andv 'I engage the inner or rear face of the visor, with the V-shaped portions extending therefrom for disposal at right angles with respect thereto. It will be obvious that due to the inherent resilient qualities of the bracket and the shape thereof, that the hook members set up a clamping engagement with the visor so thatl casual removal or displacement of the bracket is practically impossible, yet it can be applied and removed in an easyv and expeditious manner.

The roller 9 is of the usual shade receiving spring type that includes a trunnion I0 at one end, mounted for rotation in the eye bearing 5, and a shaft Il is fixed within a bore disposed n) along the longitudinal center of the opposite end portion of the roller, the shaft terminating at its outer end into a flat trunnion I2 mounted in the square cornered bearing 6. Al coil spring I4 is sleeved about the shank and has one end secured to the roller and its opposite end secured tc the shaft. The roller also includes the usual pawl and catch members I5. 'Ihe map which is indicated by the reference numeral I6 is made of any sheet material suitable for the purpose in strip formation, of a width slightly less than the length of the roller and has one end detachably or permanently secured to the roller by any suitable means, so that the map is Wound and unwound about the roller in the same manner as a shade and the opposite end of the map has secured thereto a tab I'I providing a handle to facilitate the winding and unwinding action.

The mounting bracket of the form of Figure 4 is preferably made from resilient strap metal to provide an elongated flat base portion or member I8 with arms I9 and 20 formed on the ends and disposed at right angles thereto for arrangement in parallelism with each other, the arm I9 having a round bearing opening 2| therein for the trunnion Ill, while the arm 20 is provided with a square cornered bearing opening 22 for the at trunnion I2, so that the roller will be arranged in bridging relation with respect to the arms I9 and 20 in the same manner as with the V-shaped arm portions, as shown in Figures l to 3. Riveted, spot Welded or otherwise secured to the base portion I8 are the shanks 23 of hook members 24, for securing the mounting bracket of this form to the visor, as shown, and it will be noted that the hook members of both of the forms have their hook portions outwardly flared so as to facilitate the application of the brackets to the Visors, as Well as to prevent damage thereto. The application of the mounting bracket of the form of Figure 4 to the visor is obvious but it might be mentioned that the hook portions of vthe members 24 set up a gripping engagement With the visor, so as to prevent casual removal or displacement, and the bracket of this form is ,also mounted for engagement With the rear or inner face of the visor, with the result it will be seen that in both forms of our attachment the latter will be arranged in an out of the Way position When the visor is disposed parallel to the top of the vehicle body and when the visor is lowered, the map Will be disposed in convenient reach of the user for unwinding the same for use, as clearly shown in Figure 1. While the visor is shown as being parallel with the Windshield, it is capable of adjustment at angles in a horizontal plane to carry the map accordingly.

While We have illustrated our attachments as being detachably associated with the visor, it will of course be understood that they may be permanently xed thereto, and in fact the visor may; be constructed to include suitable bracket means for the roller.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What We claim is:

l. A road map attachment for a motor vehicle provided with an adjustable sun visor, and said attachment comprising a mounting bracket formed from a single strand of resilient Wire bent to provide companion hook means for attachment of the bracket to the visor to be carried thereby, base means having the hook means formed thereon and engageable with the vis-or, arms formed on the base means and extending outwardly therefrom for disposal in parallelism with each other, said strand being looped upon itself at the outer ends of the arms to provide bearing openings, a roller mounted in the bearing openings, and a strip map secured to and Wound about the roller.

2. A road map attachment for a motor vehicle provided with an adjustable sun visor, and said attachment comprising a bracket formed from a single strand of Wire bent to provide a hook member extending centrally from the bracket, companion hook members extending in a'direction opposite to that of the iirst nook member and cooperating therewith for detachably securing the bracket to the visor to be carried thereby,

base members having the hook members formed 

